Typically, a hinge is a mechanical bearing that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a limited angle of rotation between them. Two objects connected by an ideal hinge rotate relative to each other about a fixed axis of rotation. Hinges may be made of flexible material or of moving components.
A variety of hinge, latch, and hinge and latch devices exist that can be used to allow for the opening and/or closing of console or cabinet doors and other pivoting and/or latch type devices. Some such devices only allow for the door or other pivoting device to only be opened in a single direction. Other devices allow for the door or other pivoting device to be operated in two different directions.
Generally, over the years, a number of hinge devices have been developed for the purpose of permitting the opening and closing of the doors of console furniture and other cabinets from either the left or right side of the console or cabinet. Early embodiments of this concept enabled a person to select the side of the console or cabinet that would serve as a pivot axis. Thereafter, unless the hardware were altered, the door would open from that side. When it became necessary to change the hinge side, a screwdriver, wrench and other tools were needed to mechanically transfer the pivot axis from one side to the other.
More recent modifications have utilized a combination of springs and latches to allow the door to be opened alternatively from the left or from the right. This design consists of a double sided removable axle arrangement that permits the door to be opened from one of the two sides. In order to prevent an unintentional opening of the door, a locking mechanism is provided for each axle arrangement. This mechanism has to be released by the user by activating an opening button prior to opening the door. This locking mechanism consists of a multitude of elements which when in the closed position are interlocked. As soon as one of the locking mechanisms is released on one side of the door, the door could then be rotated around the closed axle arrangement whereby a cam slides into a curved guide while at the same time the central opening in the door area of the locking mechanism blocks and the release button is locked.
Other proposals have involved double sided hinges that open and close a door from multiple sides. The problem with these devices is that they do not provide a full 360° of pivoting rotational motion for the various doors, panels, and windows of a console. Thus, an unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. Even though the above cited methods for furniture hinges meets some of the needs of the market, a double axial hinge that hingedly fastens to a mounting surface, such as a console, and specifically the doors, panels, and windows of a console, and enables multiple combinations of opening, closing, and folding of the doors, panels, and windows of the console between 0° to 360° is still desired.